Variable condenser



Feb. 12, 1929.

G. MERLE. 5Rv

VARIABLE conmmsmn Filed April 10, 1925 INVENTOR 6eorye filer/e 5r: 3 BYf A'ITORNE;

Patented Feb. l2, 1929. 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' GEORGE MERLE, or BnooKLYr-i, new YORK.

VARIABLE CONDENSER.

' Application filed April 10, 1925. Serial No. 22,014.

This invention relates to variable con- In the construction shown, Iemploy two densers and particularly to devices of this frame members 10and 11 preferably comclass adapted for use in connection with radioposed of insulating material such hard rubapparatus or circuits; and theobject of the h r, bakelite and the like, and these members 50 inventionis to provide a device of the class are of the general form illustratedin Fig. 3 specified which is composed of a stationary or the drawing,wherein the member 11 is unit comprising plurality of condenser s wn inplan, and mounted in a sleeve bearplates which extend entirely aroundthe cir- 3 or bushing 12 centrally of and between umference of an axisin any desired p riphd men'ibers and 11 is a shaft 13 which 65 to oralform to the disks, that is to s: y, the disks projects forwar beyond themember 10 and may be round or angular, and also the pr0- s adapted toend through the panel 14: of vision of a pluralityof movable plate un tsa, radio receivi g set, and secured to the shaft cooperatively engagingthe stationary unit, ou wardly of the panel is a rotatable gradthelatter units being substantially scmi-cirr d di 15, Deemed t id h ft i79 15 'cular in form or extending about an axis to wardly of the panel 11- and outwardly of the substantially the extent of 180 degrees; afurmember 10 is a small gear 16 and a large gear ther object being toprovide one means for 17 rotated by the dial 15 and the shaft- 13.actuating all of the movable units to adjust Mounted upon the bearing 12between the them relatively to the stationary unit in a members 10 and11 is a stationary condenser single operationor movement of said means;unit 18 comp 'ising a plurality of thin metala further object being toprovide means fol lic plates 19, seven of which are employed in moving sp ra y a i dependently the the construction shown. These plates aremovable units into inoperative position square or substantially squarein form as whereby said operating means may oper e shown in Figs. 1 and4: of the drawing but 80 2 one or more as well as all of said movablemay be round in form as seen in Fig. 5 of the units a further objectbeing to provide a drawing. A terminal 20 is provided on the Vernieradjustment for said single operative i n r end of the bearing 12 topermit of the 'means; a further object being to provide a deattachmentof a circuit wire therewith as will vice of the class described which isof unitary be apparent.

39 construction, means being provided for plac- In the constructionshown, four other 1 ing all of the movableconoenser units in comshafts21 are mounted in connection with the noon circuit and with means forplacing the members 10 and 11 and project forwardly stationary nnit inindependent circuit; and beyond the member 10 and extend through withthese and other objects in view, the inthe panel 13 and are provided attheir front 90 vention consists in a device of the class and endportions with enlarged heads or caps 22, for the purpose specified,which is simple In one of which is shown in Fig. 2 of the dr-rwconstruction and operation, eflicient in use ing, and mounted on theprojecting end porand which is constructed as hereinafter detions of theshafts 21 are sleeves 23 which scribed and claimed. are movablelongitudinally thereof and 95 The invention is fully disclosed in thefollocked in engagement with the shafts 21 by lowing specification, ofwhich the accompins 24 operating in bayon t apertures 25 panying drawingforms a part, in which the in the sleeves Q3. The sleeves 23 areprovided separate parts of myimproveinent are dcsigat their outer endswith knobs or heads 26 to nated by suitable reference characters in eachacilitate the operation thereof and springs m0 4 of the views, and inwhich 27 are employed between the caps 22 of the V Fig. 1 is a face viewof my improved conshafts 21 and the sleeves 23 to place the parts(lQllSBl"IDOHIItQClUPOIl a panel with parts of under tension. theconstruction broken away and in section. Mounted in connection with thesleeves 23 Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. between thepanel 1s and the member 10 are Fig. 3 is a face view of the back of thecongears 28 larger than the gear 16 and adapted denser. V Y I r to meshtherewith when in the position shown Fig. 4 is a detail view, on areduced scale, in Fig. 2 of the drawing but which may be of one of theplatesof the stationary unit moved out of engagement with the gear 16,shown in Figs. 1 and 2-; and, separately, by pulling the sleeves 23 out-119 Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. t but showwardly and locking thesame in such posiing a plate of different form. 7 tion by vi tue of thebayonet apertures 25.

of which are employed in each unit, said plates being of the usual formand construction or in other words Sfill'll-CllCllldf'lIl form, and bykeying the gears 28 to the shafts'21 through the pins 24: and apertures25, the

rotation or operatioiro'f the separate units 29 to 32inclusive iscontrolled and as above stated, when all of the gears 28 mesh with thegear 16, allo'f said units 29? 2 are operated.

The rearends of the shafts 21 operate in metallic bushings 3st in themember 11 and these bushings project through the rear end of saidmember-and are electrically coupled together by a square conductingplate .35,

see Fig. 3 of the drawing, which is mounted on the bushings 34}, and aterminal 36 is coupled with one of 7 said bushings to place all of thecondenser units29-32 n circuit.

- I have shown a plurality of screws or other attaching devices 37 whichextend through the panel 1% and intothreaded bushings 38 in the member10 for holding the condenser device in connection with the panel. I alsoemploy a vcrnier adjustment member 39 comprising a shaftextendingthrough the panel 14 and having a bearing in the member 10,

said, shaft being provided outwardly of the panel 14 with an operatingknob 40 and with a pinion 41 adapted to mesh with the large gear'17wherebya fine adjustment of the units 29-32 is provided. I

. From the foregoing it will be apparent that in the operation of myimproved condenser,

all oi i the units 29.32 may be rotated relatively to the stationarycondenser unit 18 and said units maybe adjusted to operate rela tivelyto the stationary unit 18 in thesame relative position or may be set oradjusted to have difi erential relations to said stationary unit as seenin Fig. 1 of the drawing, the ad ustments being made by moving the gears28 out of enga ement with the gears 16 and turning said ears and theunit coupled theresuch position the pins 24 and apertures25.

with and the: the

v S-Iain meshing tlie'gear 28 with 16. :ll hen'it is desired to operateonly a part of the units 2932, those to remain idle willhave the gears28thereot moved out of engagement with the gear 16 and held in 7 With myimproved construction, it will be apparent'that I provide a variablecondenser device which employs a single means or dial for actuating theseveral movable parts or-units :thereof, and which by reason er theadjustment and moveinentotthe separate units or the gears 28 thereof 1may increase or decrease ustrnent of the st the capacity of thecondenser at will, and by virtue of my improved construction, the tuningof radio receiving sets is materially simplified in that Ihave found inpractice that when the condenser is adjustedto the desired wave length,further manipulation of the condenser is obviated and the tuning orclaritying of the tone, when necessary, may be accomplished by the othermeans employed in radio receiving apparatus or circuits. It will beunderstood that while I have the plates 19 of the stationary unit/18 asrectangular in form in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 of the drawing, same may beround as seen at 19 in Fig. 5 of the drawing, and it will also beapparent that I not necessarily limited to the shape of theplate l9--19nor am necessarily limited tothe number ofthese plates employed in anyone apparatus, and further, nyinvention is not limited to the fourmovable condenser units such as the units 29-,? 2, andyarious changes inand'm'odificat ons of the condenser unit construction and arrangementherein shown and described as well as themeans "for actuating themovable units, may be made within the scope or" the appended claimswithout departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing itsadvantages.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A condenser of the class described comprising a. stationary condenserunit and a plurality of movable condenserunits mounted in cooperativerelation with the first named unit, means involving a single operateddevice'nor'mally in engagement with and adapted to actuate said movableunits, said last named means. involving means for moving one or more ofsaid units out of operative relation with said first named means, saidlast named means also permitting of the adjustment of the separatemovable unitsinto 'dltierent-positions relatively to each other and tothe stationary unit.

ed to actuate said movable units, said last" named means involving meansfor moving one or more of saidunits out of operative relation with saidfirst named means, said" last named means also permitting of the ad ratemovable units into difierent positions relatively to each other and tothe stationary unit, and a Vernier adjustmentunit for actuating saidfirst named means. V j

' 3. A condenser oi the class described coniprising a stationarycondenser unit and a plu- I rality of movable condenser units mounted incooperative relation with the first named unit in a circuit named unitand each unit, means involving a single operated device norn'la-lly inengagement and adapted to actuate said movable units, said last namedmeans involving means tor moving one or more of said-units out ofoperative relation with said fir t name-d means, said last namedmeans-also permitting ot the adjustment of the separate movable unitsinto dill'erent positions relatively to och other and to the stationaryunit, a Vernier adpistment unit for actuating said first namednieans,and means J. J.

or placing a circuit in communication with all of said movable units.

l; A condense-1r the class described comprising a stationary condenserunit and a plurality of movable condenser units mounted in cooperativerelation with the first named unitmeans involving a sinole 0 aerateddevii e normally in engagement with and adaptcd to actuate said movableunits, said last named mcans'involvin means for moving one or more oisaid units out of operative relation with said first named means, saidlast named means also pcrn'ii ing of the adjustment of the separatemovable units into diti erentposit-ion": relatively to each other and tothe stationary unit, a vcrnier adjustn'ient unit tor actuating saidfirst named means,

' means ior placing a circuit in communication vith all of said movableunits, means for insulating the stationary unit. tro 1 the movableunits, and means for placing die stationary independent of the firstnamed circuit.'

A condenser of the class described com iiing a stationary condenser unitcompose l or a plurality of spaced disks or predetermined "orm and aplurality of rotatable condenser units of substantially the same ca-)acit spaced about the oeri )herv ot the first .l i i mined term and aplural v oi rotat ble condenser units of substantially the same capacityspaced aboutthe periphery of the first of which comprises a plurality ofdisks adapted to be positioned Fr} "7 (7D D l r 7c l am mom is eiimentic (lio s O1 18 stationary unit and spaced tncrerrom, means involving asingle dial tor actuating all of movable units, and means for moving theso "ale movable units into inop i position with reference to said lastnamed means whereby one or more of said movable units of strai 'ht edgesand a )luralitv of mocabl may be actuated by means of said dial, andmeans for providing fine adjustmentof said movable units.

' A condenser of the class described comprising a stationary condenserunit composed of a plurality oi. spaced l tes, the periphery said platesbeing div red a plurality of said plates being" divided into a plurant".0 condenser units ot substantially the some can pacitv positionedcentrally of the straight ot the plates of s l stationary unit and eachof said movable units comprising a plurality ot semi-circular and pacedplates adapted to cooperate with and be positioned between the adjacentportions of the plates of the stationary unit and to be movable into andout of engagement therewith, each of said movable units being providedwith a gear and a gear normally meshing with the gears of all of saidunits whereby therotation of said last named gear will operatesaidmovable units.

9. A condenser of the class described comprising a stationarycondenserunit composed of a plurality of spaced plates, the periphery of saidplates being divided into a plurality of straightedges and a pluralityof movable condenser units of substantially the same capacity positionedcentrally ot' the straight edges of the plates of said stationary unitand each of said movable units con'iprising a plurality of semi-circularand spaced plates adapted to cooperate with and be positionet betweenthe adjacent portions of the plates of the stationary unit and to bemovable into 'l out of engagement therewith, each of said movable unitsbeing provided with a gear and a gear normally meshing with the gears ofall of said units whereby the rotation of said last named gear willoperate said movable units. and graduated dial for actuating: the secondnamed gear.

10. A condenser of the class described comprising a stationary condenserunit composed of a plurality ot spaced plates, the periphery of saidplates being dividen into a plurality of straight edges and a pluralityof movable condenser units of substantially the same capacity positionedcent-rally or the straight edges of the plates of said stationary unitand each of said movable units comprising a plurality of semi-circularand spaced platesadapted to cooperate with and be positioned between theadjacent portions of the plates of the stationary unit and to be movableinto and out of engagement therei with, each of said movable units beingproand each of said movable'units comprising a Vided witha gear and agear adapted to mesh with the gears of all of said units whereby therotation of said last named gear will operate said movable units, agraduated dial for actuating the second named gear, and

-111G3I1Sf0l moving the first named gears independently into and out ofengagement with the second named gear in the independent "adjustment ofsaid movable condenser units.

11. A condenser ofthe class described comprlslng a stationary condenserunit composed of a plurality ofspaced plates, the periphery plurality ofsemi-circular and spaced plates adapted to cooperate with and bepositioned between the adjacent portions of the plates of the stationaryunit andto be movable into and out of engagement therewith, each of saidmovable units being provided with a gear and a gear adapted to mesh withthe gears of all of said units wherebythe rotation of said last namedgear will operate said movable units, a graduated dial for actuating thesecond named gear, means for moving the first named gears independentlyinto and out of engagement with the secondnamed gear in the independentadjustment of sald movable condenser units, and a ver nier adjustmentfor said movable'units comprising a large gear rotatable by said dial, a

pinion meshing with said gear and means whereby said pinion may berotated.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as I my invention'I have signedmy name this 8rd day of April, 1925.

enosen MERLE, sit.

